I recently rescued a border collie puppy and have a difficult time getting him enough exercise.

I realized that an off leash dog park would be a wonderful idea for the island. I have spoken with many dog owners who would support such a place.

Vashon seems to pride itself on being dog friendly, with merchants encouraging shoppers to bring in their dogs. Many off-islanders bring their dogs here and often end up hearing of KVI Beach and that dogs can go off-leash there. Unfortunately, it can get tense when dogs, non-dog lovers and little kids mix at KVI.

I’ve talked with many dog owners on-island who are afraid to hike with their dogs off-leash for fear of them falling in a well.

Socialization is very important for dogs to learn how to get along. Hiking on trails, on- or off-leash, does not facilitate the necessary skills that dogs learn in a dog park.

Please consider supporting an off-leash dog park in the upcoming parks department survey.

— Michele Maurer